


stood too close to the flames

by justsleepwalkin



Series: looking back, then moving on [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Episode: s01e06 Star City 2046, Jealousy, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6109912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justsleepwalkin/pseuds/justsleepwalkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 1x06 Star City 2046.<br/>Leonard Snart always had Mick Rory's back, and he'll be damned if he stops now. He just has to improvise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	stood too close to the flames

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [玩火自焚](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6160039) by [styx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/styx/pseuds/styx)



> It's amazing how quickly you can find yourself in a ship... Sigh.
> 
> As much as I like the idea of these two already being a thing, that's not the case here! 
> 
> Had to write something after that ep though. Eesh.

There's something to be said in knowing that even as the world and everyone in it burns and screams around them, Leonard Snart would be kept safe from those flames because Mick Rory willed it.

Maybe he should have left Mick in that future timeline. Let Mick conquer that city, get everything he could ever need, and then burn it all to the ground; start over, then do it again. Same cycle, and the perfect place to do it.

Snart's sure there would have been two arrows through him before he even made it too far though. Two Green Arrows, just as bad as one speedster; worse, because they might not show mercy. 

_Ah_. He was just looking out for his partner. But they're not really even that. Not anymore. He'll have to find another way to keep Mick Rory from self-destructing himself, while taking the entire crew with him. 

Snart doesn't remember the last time he had to be wary of the heat that surrounds his cold.

* * *

“Are you okay, Leonard?” Sara asks him after their following mission, sliding into the seat across Snart at the small table.

Snart toasts her with a tumbler of amber liquid and grins at her, cheekily and fake. “Of course I am, why wouldn't I be, _Sara_?” 

She sighs at him. “Don't use that facade with me; I can see through it.”

“That's nice,” he answers, voice clipped, “Don't care.”

“ _Snart_.”

“ _What_?” He sets the glass down, none too gently. 

“I saw you and Mick.”

Of course she did. She has the eyes of an assassin, she sees and watches everything. He thinks about telling her that Mick was ready to leave her (and Rip) to die when they were in Star City. Sneer it right into her face and maybe it'll get her to leave him alone. But she _is_ a friend, even if Mick's pushing that away, so he holds his tongue. “What _about_ it?” he asks instead, even though he knows. He _knows_ he can't hide anything from her, not really, but damn if he isn't going to try. Make her work for it at least.

“You were barely in sync with one another. He nearly set you on fire.” She pauses. Tries to meet his gaze, but he's very pointedly keeping it from hers for more than a second at a time. “ _Twice_.”

“ _Actually_ ,” he laughs, “he _did_ manage to singe part of my suit. Lucky us, hm, that we have such a wardrobe at our hands.” He ignores the mild alarm that flickers across her face in favor of downing the last of his drink, then standing to fetch a bottle. Maybe get a good year. One from the future, beyond 2046. _Thanks_ , Rip, for helping him indulge a little.

“How long is this going to go?” she asks him. She doesn't move to follow. Good girl. “Is this... going to get bad enough that it's going to cost us the mission, one day?”

“Probably!” Snart chirps. He fishes out a bottle and a second glass and walks back to her, placing the glass down, cracking the bottle's top, and pouring liquid into both. “Cheers, Sara, to the day we all burn.”

“Leonard...” 

“Don't think too much on it, sweetheart.” He clatters the bottle down and takes his glass. Smiles at her, and it's almost the most real part of this entire charade of a conversation, and while it doesn't reach his eyes, he doesn't mask the sorrow there. “I'm sure not,” he says, quieter. Sits down.

They drink in silence after that.

* * *

Rip's hosting a meeting that is sure to be as thrilling as ever, but Snart has other priorities. He waits, leaned against the ship wall, eyes on the ground, fingers tapping against the rail behind him. As predicted, Ray turns a corner and starts into Snart's corridor. He startles when he sees Snart. “Oh. Hello.”

“Raymond, a moment of your time?” Snart asks, a small jerk of his head to signal to an off-shooting corridor. 

Ray shrugs and follows him. “What is it?”

“I need a favor,” Snart drawls, “on top of your usual Boy-Scout ways.” He folds his arms, hiding the way they tense as he forces himself to ask, “I need you to look after Mick for me; he has a sort of _soft spot_ for you,” right now, “and might, actually, listen to you.” Might not get himself killed.

Ray has the gall to laugh, but at Snart's glare he sheepishly looks down. “Oh, you're serious. Sorry it's just, a soft spot for me? That's like...” He grins. “ _Ah_ , fire having a soft spot for kindling.” 

And damn him. Damn him taking... _any of this_ from Snart, damn Snart having to rely on _someone else_ because he can no longer be sure, truly, where he stands. _To the day we all burn_ , he told Sara, and he wasn't kidding. One selfish misstep, poor calculation, and now Leonard Snart lost that certainty. 

He pushes into Ray's space, tone biting, “I don't think we have an understanding.” He uncrosses his arms and has Ray by his shoulders, up against the wall. “How about I make myself clear?”

“How about—how about we just go to Rip's meeting—” 

“ _Listen to me_ ,” Snart growls. The sense of loss makes his hands tighten, fingers digging into Ray. “Loathe as I am to admit, you're the one that stands with the power. _You're_ the one that's going to keep him from killing us all.” You're the one that started this mess spiraling out of Snart's exceptional control, back in Russia, back when it should have just been him and Mick and maybe _then_ —maybe then Snart could have been enough for Mick. Maybe Snart could have proved it, without this _distraction_ getting in the way. 

Maybe then Mick would have, just once, willingly let the world around them remain unmarred, because something better than _fire_ could be around.

Snart shoves away from Ray before he considers icing him. His eyes hold enough of that cold. “Don't screw this up,” he say, voice low, to Ray. Backs away, leaves the man there and makes his way to Rip's meeting. Doesn't look anyone in the eyes when he takes the spot by the door, on the outside of the group. Keeps his eyes on the ground, ears open. Doesn't look for Mick. Doesn't say anything when Rip asks if he saw Ray. 

Shuts them all out while he thinks of how he can use them. Guide them to where they need to be so they can watch over Mick. Do what he has to do and ignore the growing chasm between them.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote very quickly while I was at work. I'll try to give it another look over when I have time.


End file.
